1867 - 1931: Territorial Expansion

The first four provinces formed the nucleus of the new nation.
Within six years, Sir
John A. Macdonald had negotiated the entry of three more provinces,
using a combination of opportunism and promises. Then, around the
turn of the century, Canada's population in the west exploded. Saskatchewan
and Alberta were born shortly afterward.

Topics in this section:

Annexing the West
Shortly after Confederation, Canada began dealing with one of the
issues that had caused friction for many years: expansion to the
west. The Rupert's Land Act ended the rule of Hudson's
Bay Company over Rupert's
Land and the North-western Territory. In compensation, HBC received
£300,000 and one twentieth of all farmable land in the territories.

The Birth of Manitoba
After Canada took control of the Hudson's Bay Company territories,
it began to encourage settlement in these lands. The government
ignored the land claims of the more than 100,000 Aboriginals and
Métis who lived in the region.

Alarmed by the possibility that they might be pushed off their
land along the Red and Assiniboine rivers, the Métis (led
by Louis Riel)
prevented the appointed Canadian governor from entering the territory
in 1869. Prime Minister Macdonald
realized that a military response was impossible for several reasons:

The distances to be covered by any military force were enormous,
and there was as yet no rail service west.

It was the middle of winter, making such an action even more
improbable.

The British had not yet ratified
the transfer of the territories to Canada, so the Métis
had not, in fact, broken any Canadian laws.

After negotiations, the province of Manitoba was created, with
several controversial provisions:

The land already occupied would not be taken from the Métis,
and a large section of land was reserved for them.

There was another Métis
rebellion in 1885. Many of the Métis had
moved into what is now Saskatchewan and established
farms. They were once again concerned that they
would be pushed off their land and asked Riel
to lead them. Violence erupted, but this time
was quickly crushed by troops brought from Ontario
by train.

British Columbia
British Columbia entered Confederation much more easily. The residents
(and Canada) were worried that the Crown
colony might be annexed by the United States. Since 1868, a group
called the Confederation League had been agitating to join Confederation.

In 1870, their efforts were fruitful and a delegation was sent
to Ottawa. Negotiations were successful and, in 1871, British Columbia
became a Province of Canada. The terms settled on included:

Canada would assume British Columbia's debt.

There would be subsidies for public works.

A railway would be built from Ontario to British Columbia in
ten years.

Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island had rejected Confederation in 1867 on the basis
that they had little to gain - and their independence to lose. By
1873, though, the would-be province had reasons to reconsider:

Absentee landlords in Britain owned most of the land and would
not sell at reasonable rates to settlers.

A railway project on the island was threatening to collapse
the finances of the colony.

Negotiators were sent to Ottawa. Ultimately they succeeded in obtaining
excellent terms:

Canada would assume Prince Edward Island's debt.

Canada would buy the land from the absentee landlords for $800,000.

A connection to the mainland by ferry was guaranteed.

The province was to have six members of Parliament instead
of the five promised at the Québec Conference.

New Provinces Out of the Territories
Canada had the authority to create provinces out of the Northwest
Territories in 1871. This did not happen immediately, however, since
it was still too difficult for settlers to reach the remote region.
This began to change when the Canadian Pacific railroad was completed
in 1885.

Yukon Territory was separated from the Northwest Territories in
1898, in response to the huge population increase in the area during
the Klondike gold rush. However, much of this population left when
the gold was exhausted.

British
North America Act, 1871
(Renamed Constitution Act, 1871. Allows the Parliament
of Canada to create new provinces out of any territories within
the Dominion.)

Alberta and Saskatchewan
Between 1897 and 1911, two million people immigrated to Canada.
Many went west: about 30,000 farms were started per year in this
period. More railways were built to help carry the load.

In 1905, two new provinces were created out of the territories
between Manitoba and British Columbia. The terms of entry for Alberta
and Saskatchewan were almost identical. There were some controversial
terms:

Neither province was given control of the natural resources
in the province.